Pohamba passes AU Panel of the Wise baton to Wandira

The AU Panel of the Wise successfully concluded its deliberations in Accra, Ghana, last week.

The meeting of the panel was presided over by its chairperson, H.E. Hifikepunye Pohamba, former President of Namibia.

In addition to the members of the panel, the meeting was attended by Ambassador Smail Chergui, AU Commissioner for Peace and Security and the Friends of the Panel of the Wise.

The Panel extensively deliberated on conflict and crisis situations obtaining in some African countries, ranging from Somalia and the broader Horn of Africa, the DRC and broader Great Lakes Region, Central Africa Republic, the Sahel and Libya, Mali and Cameroon, among others.

As part of their work programme, the panel will undertake field missions to some conflict areas before the end of this year, and during 2019.

In line with the modalities for the panel’s functioning, the term of the chairperson is one year. His Excellency former President Pohamba’s tenure of one year has therefore ended, having been elected a year ago, in October 2017.

Pohamba will remain a member of the Panel of the Wise and the panel unanimously elected Dr Speciosa Wandira, former Vice President of Uganda, as its new chairperson.